I heard Rev. Richardson speak at a large Methodist youth rally when I was in my late teens. Ophelia "Minnie Pearl" Cannon spoke at the same event. I don't remember anything about his politics or theology apart from that. All I can retrieve from his speech now is that he credited Jesus, Mahatma Ghandi, and someone from one of the other major world religions as the finest examples in history. In that particular respect, he by no means came accross as among the most narrow minded conservative preachers I've known. Not meaning to rush to his defence; if I'd had any political perspective then, remembered more of his speech, or had heard more extensively from him, I might remember him a lot differently.